After much prayer, we had asked Ka Tong Gaw to become a staff member at Circle Church. Making noisy assurances that a miracle was going to take place, and finding nothing happening as the days passed, I felt pressured to do something I had never done before. I began to fast, asking God to make provision for Ka Tong’s salary.
Eating only one small meal a day (not being of spiritual giant proportions yet) and informing no one of my plan, I began the experiment on a Thursday. By Wednesday of the following week, God was to have done his work, so that I could make a grand announcement as the Board met again that evening.
By Wednesday not a penny had come in. I was obliged to go to a ministers’ breakfast, and although I attempted to arrive late in order to miss the meal, they were running behind schedule and I had to eat anyway. The prospect of having to forego supper made it a long, hungry day.
The evening Board meeting came and went. The phone rang a couple of times and my heart leaped quickly, because I was sure it was some wealthy man burdened by God to underwrite this need. Once it was Karen’s mother and the other time one of those helpless individuals in every ministry who desperately needs to talk and talk without purpose and without reason. Karen served brownies—crumbly rich, chocolately sweet—how good they looked! God seemed to be adding insult to in jury!
Finally, when everyone was gone, Ka Tong turned to me as he was putting on his coat. “By the way, Dave, what was the big announcement you had me come to hear?” My self-imposed tribulation had not worked patience. I could have hit him.
Isn’t it interesting how God sometimes unfolds His work of grace in a cliff-hanger sort of way? We knew God was at work in our midst. But now, we’re waiting on Him for yet one more act of His grace. We had already experienced a great outpouring as he led us through the process of giving birth to a new church plant in downtown Chicago in the turbulent 1960’s. I invite you to return and follow this narrative as it unfolds. If you do, I think you will enjoying reading some of the key lessons we learned along the way.
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